Apple TV+ on Tuesday postponed releasing “The Savant,” a drama on domestic extremism starring Jessica Chastain, three days before its scheduled premiere.
In the eight-episode limited series, Chastain stars as the title character, so named because of her ability to infiltrate domestic extremist groups, which she does to thwart planned terror attacks.
“After careful consideration, we have made the decision to postpone ‘The Savant,’ ” an Apple TV+ spokesperson told Deadline in a short statement. “We appreciate your understanding and look forward to releasing the series at a future date.”
Apple did not give a reason, but Deadline said the show’s subject matter could be triggering amid heightened political tension stemming from the Sept. 10 slaying of controversial activist Charlie Kirk as he spoke at Utah Valley University. Tyler Robinson, 22, was arrested for the brutal attack against the 31-year-old husband and father of two.
Inspired by the life of a real investigator with the same nickname who was profiled in a 2019 Cosmopolitan article, the series “follows the Savant, a top-secret investigator who infiltrates internet hate organizations to bring down the nation’s most violent men,” reads the description on IMDBpro.
The trailer shows Chastain as Jodi Goodwin, a military vet who has harnessed her talent for spotting trouble to a group called the Anti-Hate Alliance, as she gets out in front of sniper attacks, bombings, ambushes and all manner of rage-fueled violence, some of it graphically depicted.
The first two episodes were supposed to drop on Friday, followed by weekly releases. Chastain, one of the executive producers, had not commented publicly on the postponement as of Tuesday evening. While the Sept. 26 date was still live on IMDB, the Apple TV+ portal simply says, “coming at a later date.”
